Laughing Your Way to Better Health

Did you know that laughing improves heart health? Laughing helps to keep your artery walls strong.  A good hearty laugh could be considered a ‘workout’ for the heart. Laughing causes the endothelium (lining of the arteries) to expand. Stress can narrow the lining and slow blood flow, which increases blood pressure and puts strain on the heart. Laughing is an effective way to reverse that narrowing and increase blood flow.

While laughing, the body also releases endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain killers. Laughing relieves stress, relaxes the muscles, boosts the immune system, increases blood flow, and improves mood.

Young children laugh 300 times a day, compared to an adult’s 15 times. Get in touch with your inner-child and laugh your way to a healthier heart. Next time you need to relieve stress, watch a comedy or do whatever it is that will get you laughing.

Helpful tips:
• Laugh at yourself.
• Keep things in perspective.
• Deal with your stress instead of hiding from it.
• Pay attention to children and emulate them.
• Even if you don’t feel like laughing, fake it! Your body releases the same hormones regardless of real or fake laughter.